Saris, sisterhood and shared nostalgia

'Pleated' by Aishwarya Rao and Riddhi Desai talks about women from different walks of life, with the sari as a common theme

As one turns the pages, one can almost feel the heat of the summer sunlight, smell the fragrance of ripe mangoes and hear the rustle of a silk sari. When ‘Pleated’ promised a trip down memory lane, it wasn’t kidding.

The book by Aishwarya Rao, with illustrations from Riddhi Desai, is an ode to the sari — presented by way of snippets from Aishwarya’s grandmother’s life and glimpses of some complex and inspirational women from South India, such as MS Subbulakshmi, J Jayalalitha and Bangalore Nagarathnamma. Though these women have diverse backgrounds and lives, the book seamlessly weaves a narrative with anecdotes and observations, while also focusing on their sartorial choices.

‘Pleated’ was launched at The Registry of Sarees in Domlur this weekend. Metrolife caught up with Aishwarya to know more about the book.

Most books on saris seem to have stunning photographs. What made you opt for illustrations instead?

‘Pleated’, in its absolute sense, is not a book on saris. The frontside is the story of my Ammama (maternal grandmother), told through the colours of the saris she owned. As you unfold the pages, you are reminded of your own grandparents and drenched in the nostalgia of the age gone by.

On the back of the book, I have strung together stories of some of the most powerful women in our mythology, art and culture who despite being traditional in appearance were unconventional in thought.

Both of these contexts demand that we give the reader the freedom to imagine — whether it is their own childhood or Rukmini Devi’s mood as she turned down the Presidency. As photographs can be quite literal, we opted for illustrations instead.

The illustrations on one side of the book celebrate the Kanjeevaram sari and korvai border, and its motifs. All these elements come together to tell Ammama’s story. The other side of ‘Pleated’ is a celebration of women from South India — with illustrations and details inspired by the Indian architecture.

A two-way book is a unique touch. What was the reasoning behind that?

The accordian-fold format of the book was the first thread of conversation between Riddhi and me. She wanted to showcase the life stories of my Ammama and other unconventional women through the pleats of the versatile Indian drape. Hence the unfolding pages that mimic the pleats. This eventually became the title of the book as well.

Many youngsters complain that wearing a sari is cumbersome and restricts freedom of movement. How would you respond to that comment?

People must wear what they are most comfortable in. Having said that, it is always fun to keep an open mind and try drapes and styles that are both trendy and comfortable. Restrictions are only as inhibiting as we make them out to be. After all, Milind Soman’s mother runs marathons wearing the humble sari.

Do you have a favourite sari?

I have many favourites. One of them is a peach and mustard Kanjeevaram from Rasi Silks in Madras. My Mama (mother’s brother) bought me this sari as a part of my wedding trousseau for the oonjal (swing ceremony).

What’s the most challenging part about writing a personal book?

‘Pleated’ is semi-personal — as half the book is about the story of my Ammama. The challenge, as with any passion project, is to know what to prioritise and when to stop.